A Song for Arbonne

Song for Arbonne is, like many of Guy Gavriel Kay's works, a pseudo-historical fantasy set in a fictional yet wholly recognizable time and place in our own world, in this case, 13th century France, specifically, the southern provinces (Aquitaine, Provence, Burgundy, etc.). Here the eponymous fictional kingdom of "Arbonne" acts as the stand-in.Like most of Guy Gavriel Kay's works, the writing, language, and rhythm of the prose is hypnotic. If you're used to the usual sparse and barely functional prose of most fantasy writing, Kay can be a bit of a jarring experience. Jumping from throw-away dime pulp fiction style to something entirely literary can take some getting used to.Be warned, Kay does not stay in one viewpoint in his novels. If you're one of those who dislikes jumping from viewpoint to viewpoint, you may find Kay's approach frustrating. However, given the scope of the plot and the depth of character insight in his books, staying with one character the entire way would mar the overall effort of Kay's writing.In Song for Arbonne, our main character is Blaise de Garsenc, son of an overbearing priest from the pseudo-Germanic country of Gorhaut to the north. Blaise is thrust into a world of courtly intrigue, betrayal, and assassination, ultimately forced to make a choice between himself, the well-being of his homeland, and the friendships he forms with Arbonne's nobility, particular the Duke of Talair, a former troubador.In the interest of full disclosure, I think that Kay's novel Under Heaven is one of the finest pieces of fiction I've ever read, and his novel Tigana is not far behind. So I'm obviously a fan, and with that said, the rating here is somewhat me being generous to Kay for past enjoyments. Truthfully, Song for Arbonne is probably a 3.5 star novel, not a 4 star.While the writing is sublime, and the three main characters are compelling (Blaise, the Duke de Talair and the Queen of Arbonne), Kay's supporting characters in this novel (and there are many, many, many of them) never quite rise to the level of care or realism that he reaches with his other novels.Particularly egregious is the young female troubadour Lisseut, who is given multiple chapters of viewpoint in the novel that ultimately end up being aimless. She's a spectator to the real action, has no real arc to her character, and kept finding myself disappointed that nothing happened from her viewpoint.Likewise, the villain characters (Blaise's father, his brother, and the king of Gorhaut) are so over-the-top vile and irredeemable that I didn't want to spend any time with them at all. In a sense they exist as a counterpoint to Blaise, to show how much better/humane Blaise is than others of his time and culture, but as characters they're flat, one-dimensional cardboard cutouts of "moustache twirling eeeeviil".Too, more than any other of his books I've read so far (out of the five), the character introspections in this text simply don't resonate. The Duke of Talair's dilemma is supposed to be this soul-wrenching, timeless treatise on love, but really his entire backstory is based on the premise that he's a serial adulterer. He's an interesting character, but not entirely sympathetic--which, come to think of it, is probably my biggest problem with the book as a whole.While the world and characters presented are interesting, they're just not relatable. I simply didn't connect with any of the characters. Thus, their choices were all ultimately coin tosses; yes, they could choose one thing or another, and the choices made would have an impact on others around them, but I simply wasn't tied to any outcome for the characters individually. They could have all died, or all lived in bliss and frivolity, and ultimately their chosen ends would be met with a quiet, "Eh. Okay."With Tigana and Under Heaven I couldn't put the book down, was driven to finish them as quickly as I could. With Song for Arbonne, I found myself going days, even a week at a time without really feeling the need to dive in.That said, compared to most fantasy literature, Song for Arbonne is a clear step above the usual morass of mediocrity, but it certainly doesn't reach the heights of Kay's best works, nor even those of other entries to the genre. At the end it's something you remember somewhat pleasantly, but with no real recollection of the details. Enjoyable, but ultimately forgettable.

This is the 6th novel I've read by Kay and it's my favorite. His other novels had so many characters and places I couldn't pronounce or keep track of, it became a chore to get through them. This one was the opposite. A novel shouldn't be a lot of work, it should be a pleasure. This one delivers. The pace was perfect, the characters were interesting, the plot twists kept my interest high. Loved it!

Born from the history of troubadour culture evolving in large areas covering the south of France, (Aquitaine, Provence, Occitanie), the country of the langue d’oc, north of Italy (Occitan Valley, Piedmont) and north of Spain (V’al D’Aran), A Song for Arbonne is a pseudo-historical fantasy set in a fictional yet easily recognizable medieval Western Europe. There is also a Germanic substrate, with names like trovaritz (troubadour) singers, Aulensburg and Götzland.The novel is slow, but it flows in a lyric way that makes everything feel like an epic song, written a long time ago, brought again to live by a troubadour named Gavriel Kay, only to prove that a slow pace can provide an entertaining experience too. It is a multi-centered story, in which internal and external conflicts, religious and cultural differences move together toward an epic battle final. One third in the book, the path of Blaise de Garsenc, an enigmatic mercenary, becomes deceptively predictable, only to realize that everything goes along a road resembling a river with many meanders and a large delta at its mouth. You will know only in the last moment which path will carry you to the end.Most characters are introspective and, seeing them from some place far above, makes a connection difficult, even with Blaise, but that, in a strange way, only strengthens the connection with the book itself. Some of them seem to be aimless, like the troubadour Lisseut, yet she resembles a reader who reads the novel from inside, a vehicle to provide more insight into that particular world. We have also the Duke of Talair, an enigma inside a riddle, sympathetic and uncaring in equal parts.In the end, A Song for Arbonne, feels like Ramir’s song, which is the main theme of the novel, a mesmerizing piece of storytelling, lyrical and romantic, weaving adeptly through the fabric of human emotions.

You'll often find Guy Gavriel Kay referred to as a fantasy author, but that feels reductive somehow. If anything, he creates tantalising other-worlds which allude to times and places in our own history. Here, for example, the inspiration is clear: medieval France at the time of the troubadours. Arbonne is a dreamy country basking in a Mediterranean climate, where the deeds of the great are remembered in song. Noble women have a say in politics through the Courts of Love and the rituals of courtly love. But all is not well in the elegant south. Beyond the northern mountains, the advisers to the king of Gorhaut are agitating for war, and the Arbonnais nobles are weakened by a desperate rift between the dukes of Talair and Miraval, the result of wounded pride. Into this web of rivalries and obligations come Lisseut, a jonglar seeking to make her name, and Blaise, an enigmatic mercenary whose life has been defined by a struggle against his distant, manipulative father.In this country there is less magic than in Kay’s  Tigana : what remains is little more than religious mysticism. And, for me, this works well: I find Kay most successful when he relies least on magic, and focuses on the forces of personalities, decisions and destinies. He is a skilled creator of believable characters, although it’s true that his cast are drawn from a familiar range: the thoughtful warrior; the singer / artist; the strong, independent woman; the noble unrequited lover; the man governed by principles rather than social obligations. And he is a truly sumptuous writer. That's not to say that he uses purple prose, but he does allow his books to be subtly informed by the rhythms of his sources.  The Lions of Al-Rassan , for example, was a tribute to the medieval chanson de geste, while the writing in this book is more lyrical and romantic, befitting a culture in which courtly love is highly prized, singers have wide renown, and women have the ability to govern on a level with men. From the very first paragraph, you’re borne along on language and phrases which subtly reinforce the feeling of a medieval romance. Yet I use that term with qualifications. Any men reading this shouldn’t be put off by the word ‘romance’, which I do mean in a purely medieval context. There’s plenty of chivalry and male braggadocio, and a well-written battle at the climax. There is an epic cinematic sweep and some of the scenes made the hairs rise on the backs of my arms.Although I don’t think A Song for Arbonne is one of his absolute best, that’s partly because I’ve read enough of his books that I can now anticipate the patterns of the characters’ relationships and some of the plot. But, compared to other authors, Kay is very good even when he’s not at his best. And, if you can allow yourself to be transported by a story of crackling fires and fur cloaks in winter; birdsong above rustling leaves in the spring; and sunlight glinting on a drawn sword; on the honour of single combat, or great battles, or stirring pageantry, then please do give it a go.For a full review, please see my blog. TiganaThe Lions of Al-Rassan

As is always the case with Guy Gavriel Kay's books, I found myself at the beginning wondering if this going to be my kind of novel. And as is also always the case, I persevered and found a fantastic and rich fantasy-cum-historical tale that I'll never forget.The story is romantic, heroic and political and keeps one wishing the days were longer so it could be read faster.Not as great as Tigana, not as subtle as the Sarantium Mosaic, this is still a novel far better than any mortal should be able to produce.Highly recommend to anybody who loves fantasy, historical novels, romance or just a damned good story.

I’ve really enjoyed other books by this author such as Lions of Al rasan but I just couldn’t like this one. It could have been a good book but there were too many flaws.It troubled me the way women were treated in a so called women ruled country. there wasn’t one lead I found any empathy with, and I couldn’t understand why two men fought for years over such a selfish, cruel and, frankly not very bright person. The male lead has every one of the main female characters falling in bed/love with him…. I despaired.The ending was ambivalent too.

Reading one of Guy Gavriel Kay's books is always a special event for me. I have to put everything else aside, sit down and lose myself in his world. His wonderfully lyrical writing style always takes me a few pages to get my head around, because it is so different, eloquent and - imo - so superior to other writers in the genre. He paints pictures with words yet not a word is wasted, and every one goes towards building character or atmosphere or a sense of time and place. Another thing I like about GGK is that, although he writes in the fantasy genre, most of his books are stand-alone novels that require no prior knowledge to be enjoyed, even though many of them are set in the same world (but in different regions). This is not high fantasy, or even epic fantasy, though, so be warned. This is historical fantasy, and Kay's evocative writing is perfectly suited to this sub-genre.A Song for Arbonne is another jewel in his crown, I think. It is his version of Medieval France, starting 23 years before the main text as the heir to the country's throne rides out to meet with her lover, and then jumping ahead to tell of the subsequent feud between her husband and lover, interweaving this with religious intolerance and political struggles between the Arbonnais and the neighbouring Gorhautians. It tells of the troubadour culture, and how they moved freely between the powers, spying and lending their services in many other ways. As always, GGK keeps the action on focused on his characters (who are - again - wonderful) and builds layer upon layer of complexity into their relationships which always has some emotional pay-off in the end. There is romance and intrigue, excitement and humour, and one particular large scale battle which is handled superbly.Along with the genius of Steven Erikson, Kay is fast becoming my favourite author, and this is just another wonderful novel, which deserves to be ranked alongside his brilliant Tigana, and The Lions of Al-Rassan.

Afraid this is a very old and dirty ex-library copy. Not germ obsessed but won’t be reading this.